Party Of Five (2019) - General Discussion

[sab85]

22 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I like Betos new girlfriend, but he has clearly bitten off a bit more than what he can chew, dropping L bombs so quickly, and while she does seem to really like Beto, and I like her in general, this might also have a pinch of "dating a person who you know dad wont like to piss him off and get attention" even if its subconscious. 

Oh, for sure there was some 'Dating the Help to Piss off Daddy' there. She seems very lonely and like she wants to cling on to a family unit. 

Are we supposed to think Lucia finds Matthew attractive? I can't tell or not. 

Lucia has a much more pronounced accent than any of the other kids and it jolts me out of the story. 

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, sab85 said:

Oh, for sure there was some 'Dating the Help to Piss off Daddy' there. She seems very lonely and like she wants to cling on to a family unit. 

 

Yeah. I don’t think Ella is a bad kid and I definitely think she likes Beto for himself (and is attracted to him), but she’s enjoying her pissing her Dad off. Also she is lonely. A 16 year old may not need help with daily care tasks or constant supervision but they still emotionally need PARENTS. Her Dad isn’t criminally neglectful or a total asshole in the sense that he doesn’t care about her (he was certainly distressed to think she was hurt and came to the hospital to find her), but he hasn’t been interested in putting in the work to parent her. And adding on her Mom’s alcoholism, who wouldn’t be lonely in her shoes!

[KaveDweller]

What was up with Lucia insisting to the social security woman that she knew her. Obviously the woman didn't want whoever she was with to know about the crime she was committing. Maybe take a hint and not talk about things like that in front of others?

Lucia usually seems pretty sharp, but that was just dumb.

[nilyank]

Lucia was pretty judgy about the woman running Rafa's daycare center considering that she gleefully stole the social security number off a man that died a few minutes ago.

[Scarlett45]

18 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

What was up with Lucia insisting to the social security woman that she knew her. Obviously the woman didn't want whoever she was with to know about the crime she was committing. Maybe take a hint and not talk about things like that in front of others?

Lucia usually seems pretty sharp, but that was just dumb.

 

8 hours ago, nilyank said:

Lucia was pretty judgy about the woman running Rafa's daycare center considering that she gleefully stole the social security number off a man that died a few minutes ago.

Just because someone has a high IQ and critical thinking skills doesn’t mean they have the emotional maturity to keep their mouth shut. 👏🏽The day care provider should’ve known better (cribs that old?? You saw the baby chewing on it??) but she didn’t intentionally do anything to hurt Rafa. Lucia is also super emotional because 1. That’s her brother, 2. She has to think about his care in a way she never has before because now she’s co-parenting (rather than just being an older sister)- she misses her Mom and is resentful that she’s been forced into this role and it’s easier to lash out about something the day care provider did. 
 

Lucia wants to advocate for people (that’s good) but committing a FELONY is not the way (if someone’s physical life was in immediate danger I’d give her a pass, but no). 

[alexvillage]

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Lucia wants to advocate for people (that’s good) but committing a FELONY is not the way (if someone’s physical life was in immediate danger I’d give her a pass, but no). 

She is also 16 - and maybe the writers didn't mean in the way I am reading the situation - all teenagers mess up somehow: drinking in parties, having unprotected sex (yes, still), sexting, and I bet a lot of other stuff that I am not even aware of. Lucia will mess up in different ways brought up by the current circumstances in her life. It can also be read as a need to have some control over things, to make sure everyone around her is protected and cared for because her family wasn't protected. And that's when she messes up, burns bridges, gets tangled in situations she didn't foresee because of her immaturity.

In the first episodes it looked like the writers were going in the direction of rebel teen getting involved with the "wrong" crowd in school. That seems to have been dropped.

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, alexvillage said:

She is also 16 - and maybe the writers didn't mean in the way I am reading the situation - all teenagers mess up somehow: drinking in parties, having unprotected sex (yes, still), sexting, and I bet a lot of other stuff that I am not even aware of. Lucia will mess up in different ways brought up by the current circumstances in her life. It can also be read as a need to have some control over things, to make sure everyone around her is protected and cared for because her family wasn't protected. And that's when she messes up, burns bridges, gets tangled in situations she didn't foresee because of her immaturity.

In the first episodes it looked like the writers were going in the direction of rebel teen getting involved with the "wrong" crowd in school. That seems to have been dropped.

Yes we are in exact agreement. Someone can be intelligent, with a kind heart yet make mistakes because they are emotionally immature. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S1.E6: Patch Job

Quote

After Rafa's ER visit, Emilio realizes he needs help and finds himself opening up; Beto tries to impress Ella and falls short; Lucia becomes inspired by an immigration activist; Val enrolls in a dance class and takes on a new persona.

Promo:

Original air date: 2/5/20

Edited February 18, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Jeddah]

I think I like this show even more every week. I was so worried Lucia was going to push the issue and tell Matthew to use the birth certificate anyway. I was glad she backed off immediately.

I’m wondering if the show is going to go down the alcoholic route like the original. It definitely seemed like they are implying the dad has a drinking problem. It’ll be hard to watch if any of the kids become an alcoholic. It was hard enough watching Bailey Salinger go through it. It’s been twenty years, and I’m not over it!

Beto and Ella needed to have that talk. They were both right about the other one, and I liked that. I hope they stay together.

It was sad to hear Val introduce herself as Amanda.So The Glow Ups are a Krump dance troupe? Did I hear that right?

Edited February 6, 2020 by Jeddah
Matthew, not Michael!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Lucia: It says [Natalia]'s certified in infant CPR.
Beto: I'll go see if I can catch her.
Ella: Run!
Lucia: But don't seem desperate!

Valentina: Did [Emilio] give you the number for 911?

Girl: So you're friends with Matt. Did you meet at school?
Lucia: Church. We bonded over our atheism.

Lucia: You'd rather play pool than talk to a cute girl who's vibing you?
Matt: This I know how to do. That?
Lucia: Come on. At least go say hi.
Matt: And then what? She says, "Tell me a little about yourself." And where do I start? Undocumented or homeless?

Beto: Since you're going to be staying home to deal with [the plumbing], I should probably head to the restaurant to cover for you.
Emilio: Yeah, would you? That's be great.
Beto: Do you think I could maybe get paid for the hours?
Emilio: You want me to pay you for filling in for me while I fix our plumbing.
Beto: I just need to make money fast.
Emilio: Yeah, well, when you figure out a way to do so, let me know.

Emilio: Please don't tell me you sold your blood.
Beto: I didn't. I sold my plasma.

Natalia: Who patched everywhere with duct tape?

Beto: I'm confused. Aren't you mad at me?
Ella: I made a good dramatic exit and now I'm over it.

Emilio: I could see getting used to this - enjoying a nice relaxing game of billiards after a long day of oppressing the masses.
Beto: We'll have to start smoking cigars and drinking brandy.
Emilio: How much do you think a butler costs?
Beto: Like a good one? Probably a lot.

Edited February 6, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I can see both sides of the Emilio vs. the pool table saga. On the one hand, CPS is not going to put the kids in foster care because there's a pool table in the house. On the other hand, Beto and Lucia are old enough to understand the stakes so they need to start thinking about what could make Emilio look bad if their case worker drops by. It's kind of like that theory about not leaving the house dressed like a slob after a break up - would you want your ex to see you like that? In this case, don't do anything that you wouldn't want your case worker to see.

But Emilio was out of line blaming Natalia for not calling him on her first day just because Beto and Lucia had some friends over. As she pointed out, she was hired to babysit Rafa. That's her responsibility, not two 16 year olds who are just hanging out at their own house with a few of their friends. That is totally normal for teenagers. I don't know why she would think that was something she needed to call Emilio about.

I'm with Val and Matt - when you think about it, it's really weird that your parents get to give you a name, something that shapes people's perceptions of you, before they've even met you. I always hated my name so I get where she's coming from. I used to think of what else I would want my name to be.

I was rolling my eyes at the Val/Emilio conflict over her dance classes. It's not like they live in the middle of nowhere and her only option is Miss Sally's Dance Emporium that only teaches ballet. They live in Los Angeles. There are hundreds of places to take dance classes and some of them are specifically geared toward lower income kids. Even the more expensive dance studios will often give you a fee reduction or a fee waiver if you talk to the owner.

Matt is in a difficult position and although I appreciate that Lucia wants to help him, ultimately it's up to him to decide what to do. I get why he would be reluctant to renew his DACA.

I'm glad that Ella and Beto had that discussion. They really needed to clear some things up. I know it can be hard when two people are not from the socioeconomic status, but it's a lot harder when you can't even bring yourself to talk about it. Ella was right about a lot of things - she didn't ask Beto to take her to a fancy restaurant. She also didn't expect him to pay for her food. He was the one who made those assumptions and never shared them with her. She never even said that they needed to go out to celebrate their one month anniversary.

Beto and Emilio both need to let go of their pride a little bit. There's no harm in accepting things from people when they want to give it to you. They both seem to think that any time they don't pay for something themselves, it's charity or pity. They haven't considered the fact that some people are kind or that they received help and want to pay it forward. Sometimes people want to share the resources that they have with others.

I think that Beto was a little bit right when he said Ella wanted Valentina to like her, but I think more than that, Ella was telling the truth when she said that Valentina wanted something and she wanted her to have it. Money isn't a big deal to Ella because she has plenty of it. To her, the amount of money she paid for Valentina's dance classes was just pocket change so it meant no amount of sacrifice on her part but it made a big difference to Valentina. And it especially meant nothing to her because she's just selling her step-mom's cast offs. If she hadn't used that money to pay for Valentina's dance classes, she would have used it for dinner out with her friends.

[Samwise979]

I think I already know the answer to this but, just confirming. Is Amanda the little girl that the mom is taking care of in Mexico?

I'm liking this show more and more each week. I like Emilio and Beto more than Lucia and Val so far - I find those two a little annoying - but they're growing on me. 

Loved that final scene between Lucia and Matt. I can't imagine how hard it is to talk about something like that. 

[memememe76]

That talk about immigrants helping each other was so beautifully written. I am heartbroken about the dad. Not sure if he has always had issues with alcohol but it’s not surprising he would hit the bottle given his circumstances.

They have done a very good job of writing the friends and girlfriends. The Kirstin character is split into two characters (both of whom are compelling). The Valentina pretending to be Amanda is sad on so many levels.

[methodwriter85]

I really love how this show is developing their characters and giving them real conversations. I completely forgot what it was like to watch shows like this because I'm so used to twisty plot-based dramas.

I liked Lucia coming to the realization that she was projecting her trauma of losing her parents onto Matt, without really listening to what he wanted.

Not gonna lie though, I would've squeed if Valentina decided to name herself Claudia. LOL.

The Amanda stuff is interesting. Valentina/Amanda is a neurotic mess and it makes total sense why she is. LOL.

[alexvillage]

There is one thing that is bugging me about this story: would CPS really get involved and threatening action? I am somewhat informed about how things work when related to disabled kids, even if they vary by state, but Emilio is 24, he is related, he is the legal guardian and Rafa was taken to the hospital and cared for. It wasn't neglect.

Is CPS involved because someone reported as neglect? Is this something that happens because the family is not white? It really bothers me that they are not really fighting this invasion of privacy. Did I miss anything? Even if there was a report of possible neglect, there was really no basis for  that in the way they let us know, at least.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, alexvillage said:

Emilio is 24, he is related, he is the legal guardian

Is he their legal guardian though? I don't recall anyone mentioning that they went through the legal process of making Emilio the kids' legal guardian.

[alexvillage]

3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Is he their legal guardian though? I don't recall anyone mentioning that they went through the legal process of making Emilio the kids' legal guardian.

That's true but in TV Land things like that would pass, which is what I think happened. Otherwise, the hospital wouldn't have allowed Emilio to make any decisions either and the CPS guy would be the one running the show.

I am curious to know if that would actually happen, assuming he is the guardian. I would think family services are so overworked, it would be a stretch unless there were clear signs of neglect

[KaveDweller]

On 2/6/2020 at 8:43 AM, Jeddah said:

I’m wondering if the show is going to go down the alcoholic route like the original. It definitely seemed like they are implying the dad has a drinking problem. It’ll be hard to watch if any of the kids become an alcoholic. It was hard enough watching Bailey Salinger go through it. It’s been twenty years, and I’m not over it!

I was thinking the same thing, it did seem like they were showing the dad having a drinking problem. I think it is interesting to see the impact the separation is having on the parents as well as the kids. I wasn't originally sure having the parents still in touch would work, but they are doing a good job with it so far.

16 hours ago, alexvillage said:

Is CPS involved because someone reported as neglect? Is this something that happens because the family is not white? It really bothers me that they are not really fighting this invasion of privacy. Did I miss anything? Even if there was a report of possible neglect, there was really no basis for  that in the way they let us know, at least.

 

The hospital called CPS because of the lead poisoning, which they implied was standard. I don't know if that really happens, but it's not that unbelievable. Then the social worker they sent decided the situation was worthy of a closer look. It didn't seem like a race issue, but you never know.

[Scarlett45]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Is he their legal guardian though? I don't recall anyone mentioning that they went through the legal process of making Emilio the kids' legal guardian.

Yes Emilio is their legal guardian. That was covered in the first episode, right after the parents were detained. They were able to give guardianship your Emilio. 

[Scarlett45]

9 hours ago, alexvillage said:

I am curious to know if that would actually happen, assuming he is the guardian. I would think family services are so overworked, it would be a stretch unless there were clear signs of neglect

In the real world I think the Case Worker would’ve said “glad the baby is better” and closed the case after the source of the lead poisoning was found, and Rafa wasn’t going back there. You are right child services is over worked- and there was no neglect. 

[statsgirl]

40 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

In the real world I think the Case Worker would’ve said “glad the baby is better” and closed the case after the source of the lead poisoning was found

In the real world, with white patients, that's what probably would happen. But that's not always true if the family is in a minority group where scruting levels can be different. In Canada, first nations are 7.7% of the child population but they're 52% of the children in care.

[alexvillage]

6 hours ago, statsgirl said:

In the real world, with white patients, that's what probably would happen. But that's not always true if the family is in a minority group where scruting levels can be different. In Canada, first nations are 7.7% of the child population but they're 52% of the children in care.

Ugh! It is so blatantly racist. 

[Scarlett45]

9 hours ago, statsgirl said:

In the real world, with white patients, that's what probably would happen. But that's not always true if the family is in a minority group where scruting levels can be different. In Canada, first nations are 7.7% of the child population but they're 52% of the children in care.

Yes you are very right. And there are those who would discriminate against Emilio because of his DACA status as well (while the other kids are USC). 

[tennisgurl]

It looks like they might end up going with the alcoholism story in this version of the show, maybe the dad was in recovery but this whole mess led to him relapsing. He seemed to be taking a few big swigs before talking to Emilio. Thats gonna be rough, especially if one of the kids starts having drinking problems too. 

I am really glad that Beto and Ella had that talk, they both made a lot of good points, and it basically reflected a lot of things I've said about their relationship so far. It can be complicated when two people from different economic groups get together, but its even worse if they never talk about it and just let it fester. Its probably true that Ella equates buying people things as expressing affection, but I think she also just wanted to make Val happy, and buying her dancing classes was something that made her happy and was something that Ella could easily give her. She would probably have just spent the money from her moms old stuff on a weekend trip or something with her friends, so why not just give the money to Val instead? 

I also understood where both Emilio and Beto came from with the pool table. Emilio is one edge after everything with Rafa and the social worker and wants their house to look like a perfectly responsible house of responsibility, but he also seriously overreacted to Lucia and Beto having friends over to play pool. I mean, it wasnt even an over the top house party like that one in the first episode, it was just a few teens rather quietly playing pool! Its certainly not something worth yelling at Natalia for not telling him about. 

So is Val trying to basically turn herself into the girl her mom is being the nanny for? Thats going to require a LOT of dealing with. 

Natalia's speech about people, especially immigrants, helping each other and that no one really makes it on hundred percent on their own was really good. Emilio really needed to hear it, being prideful and refusing even the smallest bits of help out of some misguided desire to prove that he can handle everything could lead to things getting even worse. 

Lucia's face when she saw that activist women was like "oh damn, Lucia has a crush..." Glad that she backed off when Matthew told her the truth about why he was nervous about going back to DACA.

[possibilities]

DACA is also not a guarantee. They almost didn't renew the program, and there is always talk of deciding to end it, and then put registrants on a list for targeted deportation. Even if he wasn't trans, I thought Matthew might be reluctant to get on a list, and have to stay monitored, lest it become a situation where he basically told them where to find him so he'd be easier to remove.

[Zima]

Aw, Vanessa is gone forever? I've been fond of the actress ever since she was Lola on Degrassi.  I wish she would have stayed on as a waitress and friend to the family or something. This new nanny woman is going to be Emilio's long-term love interest now, I take it. 

What is Val going to do when everyone in her dance class finds out that she can't dance?

Those of you who predicted that Matthew was trans were absolutely right! Good call. The thought had never crossed my mind until I read it here. 

 

[Misslindsey]

8 hours ago, Zima said:

What is Val going to do when everyone in her dance class finds out that she can't dance?

The actress that plays Val does a lot of dance. I think mostly hip-hop, so maybe she will just be decent from the start. Did they say what level the class is?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E7: Speak for Yourself

Quote

Lucia decides to host a fundraiser at the restaurant and finds her voice along the way; Emilio faces an identity crisis; Beto goes behind Ella's back; Val struggles to maintain her false identity, but is outed to a member of the family.

Promo:

Original air date: 2/12/20

Edited February 18, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Lucia: How do people raise lots of money at once?
Emilio: Celebrity softball? Sexy car wash? Look, you've got to give them a reason to show up. Then you take their money.

Lucia: You're smiling. You never smile.
Matt: I smile all the time.
Lucia: ....
Matt: Inwardly.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I get that Beto isn't happy about his girlfriend's dad not liking him, but it was inappropriate for him to go behind her back to talk to him.

And it was way out of line for her father to say that Beto could earn his respect by acting like Lucia's second father. You're the dad. Do your job instead of pawning it off on someone else. If you want her home for dinner and in bed before 2am, TELL HER YOURSELF and then give her consequences if she doesn't. Based on what Ella said in the first episode where we saw her, dear old dad isn't home a lot so he wasn't doing a great job as a parent before Beto came along, but now he's conveniently using Beto as a scapegoat for Ella's behavior.

And Ella clearly has problems. I know that teenagers drink, but she got visibly drunk at a fundraiser (drunk enough to puke) at her boyfriend's family restaurant. There are so many issues with that. And once again, Ella's behavior put the restaurant at risk because their business allowed a minor to have alcohol. I just hope that Beto knows it's not his job to fix her (or her relationship with her father).

Although I totally support Lucia having a fundraiser, would Emilio realistically let her do that? That's a whole night of the restaurant being full of the same people for hours (as opposed to turning over tables). And I wasn't clear whether everything being sold was also being donated to the fundraiser (the MC mentioned the overpriced nachos and said every dollar was going towards their goal).

Valentina should have just told her dance friend Kelly that she goes by her middle name. Problem solved, awkwardness avoided.

Emilio's meltdown at the performance just shows that he's not professional enough to have a music career. If a song doesn't feel right, the solution is not to stop singing and then walk off the stage (especially when you're performing at a fundraiser). I've seen musicians stop in the middle of a song, chat with the audience (either to explain why they stopped the song or to distract them from that before playing a different song), and then start singing something else. It's not a big deal if you can be charming and personable.

Instead he came off as unprofessional, unprepared, and kind of a diva. If he just realized in the moment that his song was inappropriate for the event, he could have just stopped the song and said, "We usually play in dark bars for drunk people who want to party and hook up and that doesn't feel right for tonight, so we're going to do a different song for you instead." No one in the audience would have been offended by that.

Ugh, Allison is a pill. I can already tell that I'm going to dread every scene she's in. There was no need to pressure Lucia into telling her story just because she organized the event. Sharing your story can be very powerful, but not everyone is comfortable with public speaking/performing and that's okay. When Teresa said that Allison's MO is withholding, I was like yep, and that's just one more reason I don't like her.

[bybrandy]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Although I totally support Lucia having a fundraiser, would Emilio realistically let her do that? That's a whole night of the restaurant being full of the same people for hours (as opposed to turning over tables). And I wasn't clear whether everything being sold was also being donated to the fundraiser (the MC mentioned the overpriced nachos and said every dollar was going towards their goal).

Yeah, I got the impression everything was going to the fundraiser but I'm going to assume that they held back enough to cover costs because I would like to think that was true.   That said it will introduce new people to the restaurant and be a charity write off for tax purposes.  If they did it on a slow night t the restaurant it might make sense from a marketing perspective to get the restaurant out there to a whole new group of people.  ACLU dad and kid can make this their new hangout making things super awkward for Val.   

 

[buckboard]

Look, I see that Ella and her father have a dysfunctional relationship, but he was correct to blame Beto for allowing his daughter to drink at Beto's family restaurant.  Ella was drinking in public and Beto didn't do anything to stop her.  She drank enough to puke in the street afterwards. 

Sure, Beto wasn't forcing the beer on her and she is responsible for her drinking and for lying and having a false ID, but he did nothing to stop her drinking, which not only is bad for her, but put the restaurant and all the attendees at risk.

[possibilities]

Beto needs a girlfriend he doesn't have to babysit. If he had tried to stop her from drinking, she would have made a scene. She always makes a scene. He also shouldn't feel like he needs to lie to her and go behind her back about things.

On the other hand, her father is a hypocritical asshole. He's ineffective at managing Ella, and thinks her teenage boyfriend should do it? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Someone like Allison will drive away volunteers. Lucia organized the fundraiser. She's not dead weight. Allison doesn't need to like her, but she doesn't have to go out of her way to antagonize her, either.

 

[Samwise979]

I feel like they're setting up a "I hate you so much I'm sexually attracted to you" type relationship with Lucia and Allison. I totally think they're going to hook up. 

Did anyone else think it was completely inappropriate when the director (sorry don't know her name and couldn't find her on IMDb) touched Lucia's hair like that? 

I liked Beto and Ella but Ella's becoming a drag. 

Emilio's band mates are asses. Like, I understand they're upset he walked off stage and I'm not saying it was ok to do but Emilio said he knew the one guy at least since 4th grade or something. Friendship should be more important. 

Even though I did like Vanessa I'm feeling the chemistry between Emilio and Natalia. 

[methodwriter85]

13 hours ago, Samwise979 said:

I feel like they're setting up a "I hate you so much I'm sexually attracted to you" type relationship with Lucia and Allison. I totally think they're going to hook up. 

Maybe Lucia is bisexual? Because I really thought Lucia was going to hook up with the lesbian girl that invited her to the party in the pilot or second episode, but then she wound up flirting with/hanging around a guy.

I don't think they're setting up Lucia and Matthew. They really have a platonic friend vibe. Also, even though I think he's supposed to be close to her age, the actor just looks way too old for her.

Quote

Even though I did like Vanessa I'm feeling the chemistry between Emilio and Natalia. 

She gives off this luminous glow. Seriously, they've hit 2-2 so far with Emilio's love interests

Edited February 14, 2020 by methodwriter85

[Kmr]

I think they may be setting up Lucia and Allison but also thinking they are setting up Lucia crushing on the director only to find out that the director and Allison are together. That comment about Allison withholding could be innocuous but could also be something someone says about their significant other. 

Yes the hair touching was too intimate and inappropriate in many different ways 

[alexvillage]

On 2/13/2020 at 7:14 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I get that Beto isn't happy about his girlfriend's dad not liking him, but it was inappropriate for him to go behind her back to talk to him.

I agree and I made a similar comment about another show: writers sometimes forget that teenagers, in general, are immature, they don't have life experience because they are still young. Even in the case of a family that has to "grow up too fast" that doesn't mean they all grow up in all areas of their lives. I find it unrealistic that a teen in his first "serious" (haha) relationship would take such a formal step. But maybe I am just old and out of touch with teen life.

On 2/13/2020 at 7:14 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

And Ella clearly has problems. I know that teenagers drink, but she got visibly drunk at a fundraiser (drunk enough to puke) at her boyfriend's family restaurant.

Not only that, she probably does that a lot. She was prepared, ID and all, she memorized and delivered - very confidently - the address all the way to zip code.

On 2/13/2020 at 7:14 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Although I totally support Lucia having a fundraiser, would Emilio realistically let her do that? That's a whole night of the restaurant being full of the same people for hours (as opposed to turning over tables).

Many (all?) restaurants have at least one day when they are closed. The fundraiser might have happened that day. I have been to meetings and events in different restaurants that would be closed on that day. Besides, fundraisers include the cost of the facility, staff, catering, etc.

On 2/13/2020 at 7:14 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Instead he came off as unprofessional, unprepared, and kind of a diva.

I don't know. I felt that the moment was to illustrate how overwhelmed he is, having to take on all the responsibility to take care of his siblings, how unprepared for this he actually is. It is the conflict of having to worry only about his dreams, career and life, as opposed to all he needs to worry about now. And he is basically making a choice, in a very awkward and messy way. The original had that moment too, but I like how this show did it much more realistically.

I really like the show. It has grown on me, the actors seem more more assertive.

[methodwriter85]

14 minutes ago, alexvillage said:

I really like the show. It has grown on me, the actors seem more more assertive.

 I do find Lucia much more likeable than I ever found Julia, who just never seemed to stop whining. Like, bitch, you got into Stanford and you're going to make your friend's suicide all about yourself and use that as an excuse to marry your loser boyfriend? The fuck? Lucia seems to have an actual point instead of just being a generic whiny teenager. I do, however, agree with the posters that Lucia having such a pronounced accent compared to her siblings is distracting, especially that we know she never lived in Mexico and has been raised in Los Angeles her entire life. Her acting coach might want to work with her on that.

However, I kind of miss Claudia. I don't think the Valentina actress quite has the chops that Lacey Chabert did at that age. I mean, she's fine, but Lacey really was one of the most phenomenal child actors captured on t.v. (I don't think she really carried those chops into adulthood, but damned if we don't have the proof of who good she was.)

[tennisgurl]

I really hope we arent stuck with this Allison person for very long, she was just instantly grating. Yes, please talk trash about the people who are very kindly hosting a fundraiser for your group to their employees! I am sure that tons of people will want to do business with you as you try to talk their employees into going on strike! I kind of caught the vibe that Allison and Teresa were exs (with the talk about Allison being withholding) but maybe not. I also cant stand when people try to guilt other people into "telling their story" as if they have some obligation to share their most traumatic memories with the masses to serve some kind of greater good or whatever. 

I think That Emilio, after hearing Lucia's speech about how hard things were for them and for other people, he freaked out that this might all be too much for him, that he cant be in the band while also taking care of his family, and then that was followed by him freaking out that he picked the wrong song for this event. 

I like Natalia a lot, although I hope they hold off on her and Emilio hooking up. Vanessa had to leave after she and Emilio crashed and burned, it would really suck if things got complicated between them, their family really needs her! 

Beto should certainly have told Ella not to get drunk (or drink at all) at their families restaurant, but its ridiculous for her dad to blame Beto for her choices. He isnt her dad, Beto is a freaking teenager, and Ella was clearly doing all of this WAY before they ever got together. If anything, her and Beto seem to be spending a lot of time just hanging at the house or the restaurant with Betos younger siblings! He cant responsible for everything she does.  

[Scarlett45]

4 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Beto should certainly have told Ella not to get drunk (or drink at all) at their families restaurant, but its ridiculous for her dad to blame Beto for her choices. He isnt her dad, Beto is a freaking teenager, and Ella was clearly doing all of this WAY before they ever got together. If anything, her and Beto seem to be spending a lot of time just hanging at the house or the restaurant with Betos younger siblings! He cant responsible for everything she does.  

I agree. Beto is her peer, her boyfriend, not even an older sibling or cousin with two ounces of authority over her. And he did do the right thing by calling her Dad.
 

What’s with this notion than boys are reasonable for girls choices? Ella has her own agency and personality- maybe if her Dad spent two seconds PARENTING her, and not 1. Throwing money** 2. Sexing his new wife he could reign her back. 
 

** I fully acknowledge that PROVIDING is the first job of a parent. And that no parent should feel guilty for working to provide for their child (needs AND wants), but Ella’s Dad thinks paying the bills and keeping her comfortable means she should shut up and do as she’s told. Parenting is a bit more complicated than that- if he wants her to change her behavior don’t put that on another teenager, HE’S the parent he should take control of the situation. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S1.E8: Dos y Dos

Quote

An unexpected family reunion in Mexico exposes cracks in the happy façades both the Acosta children and their parents have put up. Back in LA, Emilio collaborates with Natalia on a new song and they bond over their romantic histories.

Promo:

Original air date: 2/19/20

[sab85]

I have no idea how old anyone in the Lucia storyline is supposed to be. 

I'm kind of rooting for Beto and Ella. Were we suppose to read her mother's behavior as manic/bipolar?

Watching the kids walk through the gates without Emilio was heartbreaking. 

[bybrandy]

2 hours ago, sab85 said:

 

I'm kind of rooting for Beto and Ella. Were we suppose to read her mother's behavior as manic/bipolar?

 

That is how I read it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Teresa: Have you ever planned a dinner for activists? Vegan, gluten free, paleo.

Priest: Is it really that you don't know what to say to [Valentina] or are you asking me to do it for you?

Natalia: Are you going to try to write some new songs by yourself?
Emilio: What about? Invoices? What rhymes with diaper rash?
Natalia: Mustache. Eyelash. Take out the trash.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I get why Emilio was upset about Valentina using a different name in her dance class but honestly it's really not that big a deal for kids to do that.

I knew some kids who decided to go by different names for various reasons and I thought nothing of it at the time. One kid just announced on the first day of eighth grade that he was going by <new name> and everyone just kind of shrugged. My feeling was hey, if that's what you want to be called from now on, that's your choice. Nobody freaked out about it or questioned his announcement or really cared.

Part of me was surprised that Val's dance friends had such an extreme reaction but at the same time, when the alpha girl decides to turn something into ~drama~ this is the kind of thing that happens. The dance teacher should have called a meeting and had them talk about it as a team and told them that if Val wants to be called Amanda, that's not reason to block her. She's still the same person and the same dancer and she can decide what name she wants to go by.

I know this was more about Val missing her mom, but it felt like Emilio really overreacted. If Val wants her dance name to be Amanda, how is that any different from other hip hop dancers who have different stage names or dance names?

The whole Lucia/Teresa/Allison storyline was so ugh. First of all, Lucia is 16. Teresa and Allison are in their 20s. I can totally understand Lucia getting all starry eyed because Teresa has been nothing but awesome since Lucia met her (and honestly, teenagers get inappropriate crushes all the time). I was glad that Teresa set Lucia straight and said that they could be friends but that nothing else would ever happen between them

I don't know why Lucia answered the phone in the first place though. If you can't talk, just don't answer the phone!

[Scarlett45]

@ElectricBoogaloo I can understand why Emilio was concerned about what Val did regarding assuming the name “Amanda Davis”- claiming an Anglo name and approximating whiteness for safety, to avoid discrimination, or get a job that pays you US dollars is one thing, doing it to be “popular” or well liked in your dance troop is quite another.

Emilio understands how she feels (as did Natalia) but they don’t want to encourage that, and I don’t blame them. They also don’t want Val to be ashamed of her heritage or who she is. Emilio spoke a little but about it with Natalia when he was talking about how his parents wanted him to be as “American” as possible. I find it interesting that even in the 21st century “American” means “white American” to so many (like when Emilio was saying all his friends and GFs had been white- in LA?? Really??)  I think it’s good Emilio has another adult (Natalia) to talk to stuff about, and not put more burdens on his siblings. Like Lucia blaming Beto for Val running away when Beto has been the one MOST attune to her emotional needs- but he’s still her 16yrs old brother not her Dad. 

[Misslindsey]

Is there any news on whether we are getting another season? I really enjoy this show and the characters.

[Scarlett45]

36 minutes ago, Misslindsey said:

Is there any news on whether we are getting another season? I really enjoy this show and the characters.

I enjoy it as well. 

[KaveDweller]

14 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Part of me was surprised that Val's dance friends had such an extreme reaction but at the same time, when the alpha girl decides to turn something into ~drama~ this is the kind of thing that happens. The dance teacher should have called a meeting and had them talk about it as a team and told them that if Val wants to be called Amanda, that's not reason to block her. She's still the same person and the same dancer and she can decide what name she wants to go by.

I know this was more about Val missing her mom, but it felt like Emilio really overreacted. If Val wants her dance name to be Amanda, how is that any different from other hip hop dancers who have different stage names or dance names?

But it's not like Val told people she wanted to go by a nickname, she just completely lied about her name. And she lied about her life, she had been telling them they couldn't come to her house because they were renovating. If she had said her name was Valentina, but she goes by Amanda, it would have been different. I am not surprised the girls had such a harsh reaction. I thought it was terrible that they forced her to tell the truth, considering dancing was the one good thing that has happened to her lately.

What I want to know is whether she signed up for dance with a fake name or if the teacher knew. Wouldn't Emilio have needed to sign various releases?

[memememe76]

Would Val have lied about her life if her mother was caring for a Mexican girl with wealthy parents? I am sure Val would have still been resentful but I don’t think she would have pretended to be that girl. I feel she is feeling quite a bit shame of her life and heritage and I can understand why Emilio reacted the way he did. 
 

I really feel for Ella and while I may have felt unprepared and overwhelmed to be in a relationship with someone with such troubles, Beto seemed rather judgmental? I hope I read that wrong. Also, I kinda hate that everyone in the family seems to hate Ella.